John e



' (NoModeL) J. E. BRBNNEISEN.

SINGLETREE HOOK.

No. 564,954. Patented July 28, 1896.

Lia/ 272 E 5 7192272 ez'wg UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

JOHN E. BRENNEISEN, OF UNIONVILLE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE D. NORRIS, BRADLEY T. NICODEMUS, JACOB 0. XVILLIARD, \V. H. H. PEARRE, AND WILLIARD A. NICODEMUS, OF SAME PLACE.

SlNGLETREE-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,954, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed December 31, 1895. Serial No. 573,941. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: being deflected away from the circle upon Be it known that I, JOHN E. BRENNEISEN, which the main portion of thehookb is formed,

a citizen of the United States, residing at whereby the lockin g-disk is adapted to have Unionville, in the county of Frederick and a limited play to and from the opening or 5 State of Maryland, have invented anew and throat of the hook, for a purpose presently to 55 useful Singletree-Hook, of which the followbe made known.

ing is a specification. Thelocking-disk 5 is circular in outline and This invention relates to trace-fasteners for is grooved in its periphery to receive the hook connecting the trace to a singletreein such a 3, which latter is seated in the said groove,

IO manner as to secure it against accidental disthereby preventing lateral displacement of 60 placement, and aims to improve that class of the disk and directing it in its rotary movefastenings which consist of a hook and a ments. A notchG is formed in theedge of the notched disk rotatably mounted in the hook locking-disk and receives the cockeye or link so as to secure the trace, the latter entering of the trace 7 in the usual way, and when the the notch of the disk, which is then given a disk is turned so as to throw the notch 6 out 65 turn to throw the notch and the throat of the of register with the throat of the hook the said hook out of register, whereby the trace is held trace will be securely held in engagement with secure. In this class of fastenings the hook the hook. This disk is preferably cast, and is constructed so as to snugly embrace the the fastener is of wrought-iron, and the hook 2o edge of the disk, so that the latter isincapable is bent so as to encircle the locking-disk and 70 of other than a rotary movement. Hence it freprevent its displacement. quently happens that the swaying of the trace \Vhen it is required to attach or remove a and singletree brings the notch of the disk in trace or similar part from the hook, the notch register with the throat of the hook and the 6 is brought in register with the throat of the trace becomes disconnected. By the present hook, and after the part to be connected is 75 invention this cannot happen, as the disk has placed within the notch 6 the disk is turned a limited play in the hook, and when the notch so as to throw the notch out of register with nearly reaches the throat of the hook the disk the throat or opening of the hook, thereby sewill wedge and bind and be held against furcuring the part thus connected with the hook.

o ther rotation, thereby preventing the notch It will be remembered that by deflecting the 8.0 and throat from coming into register. bill or end portion of the hook outwardly pro- Various other objects and advantages are vision is had for admitting of the disk having contemplated and will appear as the invention a limited play. Hence should from any cause is disclosed, and for a full understanding of the hook assume an upright position and the improvement reference is to be had to the the disk be turned by the weight of the trace 8 5 following description and the accompanying or other part attached to the hook so as todrawings, in whichbring the notch nearly in register with the Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end porthroat of the hook the said disk will gravitate tion of a singletree, showing the invention apand become wedged between the hill 4 and the plied. Fig. 2 is a detail View showing the shank 1, therebypreventingthediskfrom furgo locking-disk in section and in the position ther rotation, hence securing the trace from which it will occupy when held against rotaaccidental displacement. In this position of tion by becoming wedged in the hook. Fig. the parts the bill at extends across the open 3 is a transverse section. side of the notch 6 and touches the latter at 5 Corresponding and similarparts willbe despoints remotely separated, and the effect is 5 ignated in the description and the figures of the same as if that portion of the disk oppothe drawings by the same reference-numerals. site the notch 6 were flattened to bear against The fastener comprises a shank 1, having the bill a and cause the wedging or binding an eye 2 at one end and ahook 3 at the oppoof the disk in the manner set forth.

site end, the bill or end portion 4 of the hook lVhile the invention is shown and referred 10,

to in connection with a singletree 8 and atrace 7, it is to be understood that it can be applied to a cow-chain, fifth-chain, breast-chain, and to other parts of harness where lock snaphooks are usually employed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A fastener comprising a hook circularly formed and having a portion deflected away from the circular outline, and a notched locking-disk mounted in the hook and capable of rotary movement and longitudinal play, whereby in the event of its notch nearly coming in register with the throat of the hook the said disk will automatically become wedged and be held from further rotation, substantially in the manner set forth for the purpose described.

2. The herein shown and described fastener, comprisinga shank having an eye and formed with an approximately circular hook, and having the bill of the hook deflected away from the circle upon which the main body of the hook is formed, and a notched lockingdisk mounted in the hook and adapted to have a rotary and a limited longitudinal movement therein, the latter providing for the automatic wedging and binding of the disk to prevent its further rotation when the notch nearly comes in register with the throat of the hook from abnormal causes, substantially as set forth for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. BRENNEISEN. WVit-nesses:

EDWARD REISLER, \VM. STEPHENS. 

